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Looking for feedback on the quality of reproduction speedometers for the 51-52 trucks.
I cleaned my original up last year and it was working but, recently the odometer quit. There are a couple people out there that refurbish to like new condition but, the price is about the same if not more than NOS. Plus there is a very long wait.
DC usually sells good stuff and I see some out there are "Officially Licensed by Ford" reproductions. Anybody running any of these?
How do they compare to NOS? Are they copies or maybe some improved technology, or better materials inside?
Check around, there are still a lot of NOS 51-52 speedos available, because they were used into the '60's in parcel trucks. I found one brand new in the box at a swap meet for $20!
If you want my old one for parts (the odo) you're welcome to it. The speedo part was making bad noises when I pulled it.
Damn Ross, $20! Was that a fluke or can you still find them cheap? I see NOS in box online for $200-$250.
I have a spare for parts. Thanks for the offer though. Wasn't sure if I wanted to fix one or just buy one. For the prices I'm seeing, I may be fixing one.
Check around, there are still a lot of NOS 51-52 speedos available, because they were used into the '70's in parcel trucks. I found one brand new in the box at a swap meet for $20!
Getting the bezel off without damage is my concern. I don't know if you need to take the needle off to fix the odometer?
I had neglected to remember any difficulty on bezel removal. Then again, most of the speedometer repair I have done has been on heads that remove out the back of the dash. The 37 sedan did require bezel removal, but all went well.
You are correct, needle removal isn't needed for odometer repair. I was thinking of a full disassembly and lube. I will admit that the last couple speedometers I had apart I didn't pull the needle, I very carefully applied a small drop of oil with the end of a tooth pick.
Well I have a spare that doesn't look as nice as my original and was locked up. I freed it up with some penetrating oil and spinning it with a drill. Seems to be working.
I need to find a way to clean the odometer without wiping the numbers off. I can repaint the needle and clean the glass. My original chrome bezel isn't bad so maybe I can combine the two to make one.
Maybe my Frankenstein repair will last until I find an NOS for cheap like Ross did. I think I better do a good job.
My sons 51 speedo works but his odometer has also stopped. What is the typical cause of this? Is was working fine for the last several years then one day I noticed it just stopped?
Thanks
Many of these speedos need lubed. There is a weep hole at the back of the speedo head to put drops of oil in but how many truck owners did that or knew that? Besides it was/is very hard to get to with out removing the instrument panel.
What I have done to several speedos when they are out of the truck was to lube them up with 3 in 1 oil or spray the crap out of them with WD40, then try to spin the little flange where the cable is screwed into by hand. Once I got the needle to move a little bit I put a Q-tip into my drill, inserted that into the cable hole and spin the drill in reverse. I could get my speedo up to 60 mph's.
Keven, if I can get a picture of the inside I will post it. Looks like a group of gears driven off the speedo. Abe is right that most problems are probably from lack of lube. I "think" a gear may have been stripped or worn to the point it no longer drives the odometer.
The speedo is driven directly from the cable. The seized one I have caused the cable to sheer off.
I bent the tabs that hold the chrome bezel on and removed the bezel. Once that is done the glass can come off. Then remove the two screws from the back and the unit separates from the housing.
This is as far as I went. You can see the majority of the inner workings at this point.
Keven, if I can get a picture of the inside I will post it. Looks like a group of gears driven off the speedo. Abe is right that most problems are probably from lack of lube. I "think" a gear may have been stripped or worn to the point it no longer drives the odometer.
The speedo is driven directly from the cable. The seized one I have caused the cable to sheer off.
I bent the tabs that hold the chrome bezel on and removed the bezel. Once that is done the glass can come off. Then remove the two screws from the back and the unit separates from the housing.
This is as far as I went. You can see the majority of the inner workings at this point.
The odometer in my 55 didn't work when I got it in April. The tenths digit moved but the others did not. I took it out and noticed there was a chip in the ones column. Apparently this prevented the rest of the numbers from turning. I bought an instrument panel on eBay and switched out the odometer. I cleaned up the panel and painted the needles before I put it back in the truck.
Okay, Here's some pics. This is the seized up one I have. I bent the tabs on the chrome bezel and separated the case from the bezel. The bezel can be split into two pieces with the glass between them. There is a cork gasket that is pretty dried out.
You can then remove the two screws from the back and the speedo comes out of the case.
I soaked it overnight with some penetrating oil and spun it up with a drill. The speedometer worked but, the odometer still wasn't free. I removed a clip that hold the odometer on one side and it comes right out.
I just worked the numbers by hand and they loosened up. I zeroed the odometer, lined up the tabs on the "separators" between each digit and reinstalled it. Sorry I didn't get a pic. The clip holding it in was originally a bear to get out as it was between the face of the speedo and the bracket in the pic. It goes back on easier if you put it on like in my pic.
I used brake clean to dry out all the penetrating oil then lubed it up with a pinpoint oiler and some gun lube. It works great now. Just needs some paint.
I wont be going any further as I found an NOS unit.
Well I'll be, I thought you had to peel back the bezel all the way around. My odo numbers are covered in oil, I think I'll pull it and clean them up. Scotty, if you want the odo from my old one, let me know. I see your numbers are scratched off on at least one of the wheels. What caused that?
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